महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-118, verse-17

स द्वादशाहं जलवायुभक्षः कुर्वन्क्षपाहःसु तदाभिषेकम् ।
समन्ततोऽग्नीनुपदीपयित्वा तेपे तपो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः ॥१७॥

17. sa dvādaśāhaṁ jalavāyubhakṣaḥ; kurvankṣapāhaḥsu tadābhiṣekam ,
samantato'gnīnupadīpayitvā; tepe tapo dharmabhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ.

17. saḥ dvādaśāham jalavāyubhakṣaḥ
kurvan kṣapāhaḥsu tadā abhiṣekam
samantataḥ agnīn upadīpayitvā
tepe tapaḥ dharmabhṛtām variṣṭhaḥ

17. He, the foremost among those who uphold natural law (dharma), observed austerities (tapas). For twelve days, subsisting only on water and air, he performed ceremonial ablutions day and night, and having kindled fires all around him, he practiced severe penance.

Words meanings summery:

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• द्वादशाहम् (dvādaśāham) - for twelve days, a period of twelve days

• जलवायुभक्षः (jalavāyubhakṣaḥ) - subsisting on water and air

• कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing, performing

• क्षपाहःसु (kṣapāhaḥsu) - in nights and days, day and night

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• अभिषेकम् (abhiṣekam) - ceremonial bathing, ablution

• समन्ततः (samantataḥ) - all around, on all sides

• अग्नीन् (agnīn) - fires

• उपदीपयित्वा (upadīpayitvā) - having kindled, having lit

• तेपे (tepe) - he performed austerity, he practiced penance

• तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance (tapas)

• धर्मभृताम् (dharmabhṛtām) - among those who uphold dharma, of those who maintain justice

• वरिष्ठः (variṣṭhaḥ) - the best, the foremost

Words meanings and morphology

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

द्वादशाहम् (dvādaśāham) - for twelve days, a period of twelve days

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dvādaśāha

dvādaśāha - a period of twelve days

Compound type : dvigu (dvādaśan+ahan)

• dvādaśan – twelve
  numeral
• ahan – day
  noun (neuter)

Note: used adverbially to indicate duration

जलवायुभक्षः (jalavāyubhakṣaḥ) - subsisting on water and air

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jalavāyubhakṣa

jalavāyubhakṣa - one who subsists on water and air

Compound type : bahuvrihi (jala+vāyu+bhakṣa)

• jala – water
  noun (neuter)
• vāyu – air, wind
  noun (masculine)
• bhakṣa – food, one who eats
  noun (masculine)
  Agent noun
  from root BHAKṢ (to eat)
  Root: bhakṣ (class 1)

Note: qualifies the subject 'saḥ'

कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing, performing

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kurvat

kṛ - to do, to make, to perform

Present Active Participle

from root KṚ with śatṛ affix

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: qualifies the subject 'saḥ'

क्षपाहःसु (kṣapāhaḥsu) - in nights and days, day and night

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of kṣapāha

kṣapāha - night and day

Compound type : dvandva (kṣapā+ahan)

• kṣapā – night
  noun (feminine)
• ahan – day
  noun (neuter)

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

अभिषेकम् (abhiṣekam) - ceremonial bathing, ablution

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of abhiṣeka

abhiṣeka - ceremonial bathing, anointing, consecration

from root SIC with prefix ABHI

Prefix: abhi

Root: sic (class 6)

Note: object of 'kurvan'

समन्ततः (samantataḥ) - all around, on all sides

(indeclinable)

from 'samanta' (all around) + 'tas' (suffix for adverb of place)

अग्नीन् (agnīn) - fires

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of agni

agni - fire, Agni (the fire god)

Note: object of 'upadīpayitvā'

उपदीपयित्वा (upadīpayitvā) - having kindled, having lit

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

from root DĪP (to shine, to kindle) in causative with prefix UPA

Prefix: upa

Root: dīp (class 4)

तेपे (tepe) - he performed austerity, he practiced penance

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, past (liṅ) of tap

Aorist Middle

Aorist, Atmanepada, 3rd person singular

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: The Aorist form for 'tap' (to perform austerity).

तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance (tapas)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, asceticism, penance, austerity (tapas)

Note: object of 'tepe'

धर्मभृताम् (dharmabhṛtām) - among those who uphold dharma, of those who maintain justice

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of dharmabhṛt

dharmabhṛt - upholder of natural law (dharma)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+bhṛt)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteousness (dharma)
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• bhṛt – bearer, upholder
  noun (masculine)
  Agent noun
  from root BHṚ (to bear, support)
  Root: bhṛ (class 3)

वरिष्ठः (variṣṭhaḥ) - the best, the foremost

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of variṣṭha

variṣṭha - best, most excellent, foremost

Superlative

Superlative degree of 'uru' (great) or 'vara' (excellent)

Note: qualifies the subject 'saḥ' and is in apposition to 'dharmabhṛtām'